


In This With You

by ShunKickShunKers



Category: Blindspot (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, High School AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-20 07:11:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10657506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShunKickShunKers/pseuds/ShunKickShunKers
Summary: Welcome to Aurora High School, where Kurt is the new kid, the Briggs twins and gang are Parkour addicts, Tasha's brother is in jail and Edgar's coach is a molester. Oh, and Patterson has self-esteem issues.





	1. New Day

**In This With You**

**1**

Remi woke up gasping. Her body felt tense and stiff and damp with cold sweat. Her shoulders were shaking slightly. She could hear the orders ring in her ears, as clear as if they had been spoken right next to her.

' _Kill it,' the instructor ordered firmly. She watched the small living creature gnawing on some straw, its bright dark eye upon her. She reached out, slowly covered the bunny's head in one hand and-_

A deep shiver ran through her spine. Her hand reached out and encountered something warm and solid. When she opened her eyes, she realized she was touching the faded green of Roman's T-shirt. The tension within her bled out at once and she bit back a sob. Nightmares. Memories. Sometimes she had the former, sometimes of the latter, but a combination of both often required external help to shrug them off. She knew it would be bad last night. They _both_ knew it would be bad, so they had migrated to her bed to be together in the morning.

Her brother was still sleeping; she could hear his regular breathing pattern, feel the rising and lowering of his chest through her hand. Her restlessness hadn't awakened him, and she was glad for it. He needed the rest. Her nightmares were vicious, but she could handle them during the day. Roman would sleep thoroughly but had a harder time reining in his feelings when fully conscious.

Remi flattened her hand against his chest, feeling his heartbeat. Her bed was slightly larger than her brother's, but they still needed to lay close to each other to be comfortable. The shutters hadn't been completely closed to let the morning light filter. She blinked away the last traces of sleepiness and focused on the resting face in front of her. She memorized once again the line of his eyebrow, his nose, his slightly parted mouth, the stubbly chin and cheeks. The sight soothed her. They had been born on the same day, her preceding him by twenty-seven minutes. In spite of the physical differences, he was her double, her flesh and her blood, another part of her that anchored her to the world. Nightmares could come and go but as long as he remained by her side, she would fight her way back to stay by his. As long as they were together, they were always stronger.

Roman stirred, shifting position in his semi-awaken state. His moving brought him closer and when he cracked an eye open, his face stood inches from hers.

"Morning," she greeted softly. The corner of his lips twitched upwards.

"Morning," he replied, his voice still a little rough from sleep. She tried to smile back, but failed. He lifted an arm, inviting her to close the remaining distance between them. Remi immediately scooted closer and buried her face into his shoulder. "That bad?" he asked sleepily.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He grunted and held her tighter.

"We still have an hour," he muttered. "Try to sleep some more."

Remi knew he wasn't being dismissive. At this point, nothing much could help her aside from her brother's embrace. He smelt like sweat and that awful cheap lemon soap he seemed to be so fond of, but he was solid and real. And more importantly, he kept the nightmares at bay. So she closed her eyes, relaxed and let herself doze off.

**ITWY**

The alarm had been ringing for a full minute but Kurt couldn't find the strength to cut it off. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, wondering if getting up would even be worth it. His life sucked, had sucked for a long time and that fact wouldn't change just because they had moved from Pennsylvania to Colorado. His mother would still pretend nothing was wrong, his sister would still hate him and he would still hate his father.

His drunk, asshole, fucking murderer of a father.

He immediately pushed the rising anger far into the back of his mind and lashed it tightly. He needed to keep control for now. Snapping on the first day in his new school wouldn't do. He had promised he would watch his temper, work on his mood swings. He didn't want to become his father.

The incessant beeping finally got to him and he slammed the buzzer with more force than necessary. Today was a new start, their new start, and he _would_ make it work. He _had_ to believe it would work, or everything they had done would be for naught. And yet, he couldn't find the strength to _get up_.

His phone beeped, distracting him from his thoughts. Kurt glanced at the screen, smiled as he saw the name of the sender and even more its content.

' _Don't get lazy on your first day.'_

Only Allison Knight would make him smile when he'd feel so depressed with a simple text. Of all the things he had left behind, his best friend was one he already missed.

' _Wouldn't dream of it',_ he texted back. Then he glanced at the time and smirked. ' _Aren't you supposed to be in class?'_

The time zone was different from one State to another, but he could swear she should be at least in first period. She was either skipping class or being really bored.

' _Math',_ was her one-word reply and he chuckled. Allie positively loathed mathematics.

' _Be easy on your next tutor',_ he typed and pressed sent. A pouting emoticon returned ten seconds later. Kurt grinned and decided he had postponed his rising long enough. He threw the covers off, stepped out of bed and readied himself for a new day.

**ITWY**

"Hey Cade, think you'll hit the Playground after school today?"

Cade briefly looked away from the road and glanced at his foster brother. Markos was scrolling through his latest text conversation, a light frown on his forehead.

"Who's offering?" he inquired.

"Roman. Apparently Remi had a nightmare. The bad kind," he added afterthought. "She might be a bit edgy so he's offering to blow off some steam."

Cade nodded and took a left turn. They were picking up Danny on the way. Which made him wonder…

"Does Nas need a ride?" he suddenly asked. "I can't remember if she's on her own today."

"Nah, her father is dropping her off at school," Markos checked his phone again and started writing an answer to whoever he had been talking to. Most likely Roman. "I'm game for tonight. So what do you say?"

Danny's house came into view. Cade pulled into a full stop and honked. Then only he considered his options. His homework was mostly done, safe for a book that needed reading and a few easily solvable things. No TV show worth his interest aired today. His fingers tapped the wheel as he focused back on a point he hadn't considered earlier.

" _Roman_ asked? Not Remi?"

"You heard me the first time."

Cade snorted. If Roman was offering on behalf of their fearless leader, then it must have been a helluva nightmare. Even though they had known each other for a full year, the twins had always been very hushed about their past. Still, the bits and parts he and the others had gathered in time indicated they had had a one-of-a-kind childhood.

"Fine," he answered eventually. "But I have to see Borden at three."

"Roman's scheduled at four, so we'll head there 'round five."

"Works for me." That would give him far enough time to complete his assignments. "Does the invitation extend to the others?"

Markos glared at him.

"Of course it does. Our group isn't the 'Orphans Only' club." His phone beeped twice. A quick glance at his screen and he mumbled: "Ana's coming; guess we'll have to drive her home. And Kat will be there…that's weird, I thought she had a thing tonight."

"Kat will go anywhere as long as Roman's there," Cade commented slyly.

Outside, Danny stormed out of his house, looking every bit like the devil himself was on his tail.

"Just like you'd go anywhere as long as Nas comes too?" Markos remarked with a hint of a smirk. Cade didn't have time to shoot something back, Danny literally flung himself into the back seat.

"Sorry guys," he said, hastening to lock his seatbelt. "My granny's staying at home and is trying to feed me her family stew. Drive please before she realizes I _accidently_ forgot my lunchbox?"

The two foster brothers snickered and took off.

**ITWY**

Edgar Reade watched Freddy dart away to class. His football buddy had been acting strange for weeks and it was worrying him. Coach Jones had assured him he was just going through a hard phase, and the best was to let things unfold with time. Still, he didn't like the light in his friend's eyes dying a little more every day. And Freddy had become so closed off lately…

He shook his head and focused on his next move. The extra morning training had made them late, and he was expected in ten minutes at the secretary's office. The building was just in sight, so he didn't feel the urge to hurry. He walked through the crowd of the last late students at leisure, which was probably why he spotted his best friend among them. She approached with her usual scorn on her face and hadn't seen him approach. Edgar grinned and sneaked behind her.

"So, Tasha, woke up late today?" he asked casually.

Tasha jolted and stared at him in surprise. Edgar's smile immediately vanished. Her eyes were red and puffy and the detachment on her face obviously fake.

"Oh, hi Ed." She replied lightly, but the heart wasn't into it. That worried him even more.

"What's going on Tash?"

Her voice wavered and the smile she had attempted to give him faded quickly. Edgar stepped closer and touched her elbow for comfort. She was a tough girl, not many things could make her break. She looked away, lips pressed together. Uneasy.

"They are moving my brother," she said tersely. "He won't tell me where."

Edgar bit back a wince. Josh Zapata had been arrested eight months ago for petty theft, drug dealing and homicide. Since he had surrendered quietly and cooperated with his lawyer, the court had cut him a deal. But Tasha still had to bear the consequences of having a criminal in her family on her own. Her father had left them when they were young; her mother spent half her time at work and the other dealing with a bottle. Josh and she had been very close growing up and while she hadn't been blind to his whereabouts, watching him walk away in cuffs had been the worst moment in her life.

"I'm sorry Tash," Edgar said genuinely. He had always considered Josh to be a bit of an ass, but the guy did care for his sister. "If you need anything, just say the word."

He was probably her only friend -aside from Patterson, but that girl was friendly with everyone -in the whole school after the case was made public. Most had shunned her and a few parents had even attempted to make her change school. Headmaster Pellington, for his many flaws, had stood his ground on that last part, emphasizing that her brother's faults weren't her own. Reade's parents liked her well enough and had welcomed her under their roofs when she had needed space before. With a little convincing, he was sure he could coax them into lending their couch a few nights.

"I'll be fine," Tasha assured him. "I think he will still call sometimes."

He didn't know what to say, so he settled for a classic but genuine:

"I'm here if you need me."

She gave him a weak smile of thanks before asking:

"Aren't you supposed to be in Carter's class right now? I thought it was this way," she said, nodding towards a rather far away part of their high-school.

He shrugged innocently. Part of the reason why he agreed to the job was the bonus out-of-jail card he'd get for any lateness in class. Especially Carter's.

"I'm supposed to welcome the new transfer student. Doctor Borden thought it might _help_ ," he explained.

"As long as he or she doesn't turn out like the Briggs twins," she muttered bitterly before glancing at a spot over his shoulder. "Speaking of which…"

He followed her stare. Near the entrance gates, a group of students had gathered briefly. Edgar watched them greet each other and then promptly separate. Markos and Cade Lipinski, Danny Mitchell, Nas Kamal and of course, Remi and Roman Briggs. Tasha held a grudge against the two latter ever since she had been designated to show them around school at their arrival last year. In spite of his numerous attempts to pull the truth out, Edgar had never gotten the full story behind their mutual animosity.

"I should go," she muttered. "See you at lunch."

"Same table," he confirmed before taking off to the secretary's office. This time, he was late.


	2. Chance Encounter

 

**In This With You**

**2**

 

Kurt watched as his guide waved goodbye and left unhurriedly. Nice kid, named Edgar Reade, who promised to be there at the end of his class. Which was, coincidentally, maths. He briefly thought of Allie and gathered the energy to knock on the door. The teacher inside watched him enter with a skeptical frown.

“Are you the new transfer student?” He asked. Kurt nodded. “Take a seat.”

There were actually three free chairs in the room: one near the front, another on the left side near the door and one in the back. He was tempted by the left one but the guy sitting next to it dumped his bag on the seat and narrowed his eyes in warning. Place taken. Kurt nearly headed there out of spite but figured provoking him wouldn’t be worth it. Especially since the guy was physically fit, had a battle scar over his right eye and looked ready to fight back should the need arise. So, he picked the front row and sat next to a beaming blonde.

“Hi,” she introduced herself cheerfully. “I’m Patterson.”

“Kurt,” he replied, watching his new tablemate. She seemed younger than him, a bit eccentric if the drawing of the gnome on her T-shirt meant anything, but friendly.

“Welcome to Aurora High. If you need anything –like the past courses or tutoring, I’ll be happy to help,” she went on. Kurt nearly declined before realizing it might not be a bad idea. Before he could agree, the door of the classroom opened again and a dark-haired girl stepped in. Kurt instantly forgot what he was about to say.

_Long and wavy dark hair, bright green eyes, a mischievous smile and white teeth gleaming when she laughed..._

Kurt shook the image from his mind. The newcomer looked skinny, but far from standing shy, she held herself straight and defiant in a graceful way. Her ebony hair fell into a dark cascade around her head and down her shoulders like a dark veil. The warmth he almost expected to read on her features was nowhere to be found. As if sensing she was being observed, the girl stared straight back at him. His gray-blue eyes crossed her hazel ones and held on. Her face was an impassive wall, sharply caved with a cold, reptilian stare and for one of the rare moments in his life, he felt at loss for words.

“Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Miss Briggs,” the teacher said dryly. “What held you back this time?”

“Borden wanted a word,” she said briskly before adding on a calmer tone. “Sorry.”

The teacher didn’t seem to think this deserved a closer chiding. If anything, he looked rather…relieved she didn’t put up a fight.

“Let’s not delay any longer.”

The girl didn’t glance back at Kurt; she darted to the seat next to the scarred guy. From the corner of his eye, Kurt noted said guy retrieved his bag to free the chair. The class resumed and Kurt turned towards Patterson.

“Who’s that?” he asked quietly, once the teacher had his back turn.

The cheerful blonde replied:

“Remi Briggs. She can be a bit cold and rude but deep down she’s very nice.” She paused and added: “We’re friends, you see.”

Kurt grunted in acknowledgment and Patterson focused back on the class, scribbling notes while humming chirpily.

 

**ITWY**

 

Patterson loved quiet mornings, but she loved even more meeting new people. Kurt Weller was an interesting kind of fellow. He was nice, hadn’t teased her in spite of her favorite T-shirt, hadn’t questioned her age and had mingled quite well with Edgar and Tasha. They were currently reunited around the table for lunch and eating in peace. Tasha looked slightly depressed but put up a good face for the new guy. Edgar chatted for the two of them, visibly glad to have someone else to talk to. He too had lost some friends when he had decided to side with Tasha. But Kurt sounded distracted as he kept glancing around. Patterson was certain he was soughing out that one person. The dumbstruck expression he had worn when Remi had entered the classroom earlier had nearly made her laugh.

Said girl was in the far end of the room, near the door, surrounded by her own friends. Patterson knew they wouldn’t mind her introducing Kurt, but the twins still held a grudge against Tasha and vice-verso. Going there now would mean dragging the duo along, would also mean rising tensions -because Reade would stand by Tasha and the guys would stand by the twins and both Tasha and Remi had _temper_ \- which would do no good for either of them.

Patterson noticed the moment Kurt finally found her. His eyes stopped in their tracks and focused on their point. She glanced at their table in turn and tried to figure out what was going on. The usual chatter and teasing, she’d bet. As if to prove her point, Remi chocked on her food at something Markos said, making the whole group laugh hysterically. Kurt smiled slightly in reaction of the scene.

And then Edgar waved a hand in front of his face.

“Hey Kurt, where’ve you gone?”

He snapped his attention back to their table.

“Just –no, nothing.” He denied, even though Patterson could see he was dying to ask. Tasha swiftly followed his gaze and frowned.

“Don’t tell me you were checking out Briggs,” she drawled, annoyed. “Her gang looks awfully chirpy today.”

“It’s the twins’ birthday,” the blonde explained. “They’ll celebrate later.”

Markos had sent her an invitation earlier. They would all gather at Hobbs’ café later in the evening. She felt flattered they had thought of including her, even though their universes diverged wildly. No need to inform Tasha or Edgar though.

“Twins?” Kurt picked up distractedly; eyes darting discreetly back at Remi’s table. Roman was currently the only shield between Markos and his sister’s wrath. He was trying hard not to become a target himself by keeping his amusement under tight wraps -and failing.

“Remi and Roman. Roman was sitting next to her this morning in maths,” Patterson reminded him. Kurt abandoned his spying to stare at her in disbelief.

“They’re _twins_? They don’t even look alike.”

Tasha mumbled something under her breath that might have been ‘freaks’, but the blonde decided to ignore it for the sake of their friendship.

“Well yeah, they are, and she’s the eldest. Do you have siblings Kurt?” she wondered. The question was a diversion, but then she remembered who was seated at the table. Both Tasha and Edgar stiffened.

“A younger sister,” he answered. “You?”

“A brother,” Patterson said, sending an apologetic glance at Tasha. Kurt immediately picked up the tension.

“Am I missing something?”

“You may as well hear it from us,” Tasha said dryly, slamming her fork on the table with more force than necessity. “My brother murdered someone and is serving his time. You have a problem with that?”

Patterson watched him blink slowly and an odd emotion crossed his face. It dissipated just as fast.

“No,” he said softly and returned to eating his lunch. “No I don’t.”

 

**ITWY**

 

Kurt’s first day ended at four and he found himself with time on his hand. Edgar had left for his afternoon football practice and Tasha returned home early. Their conversation at lunch had made everyone uncomfortable, although he truly wasn’t bothered by her situation. If anything, it gave them a common ground. His own father had walked away on lack of evidence, but he was convinced his old man had blood on his hands.

_Taylor’s blood. And who knew how many else’s?_

So no, he was in no position to judge Tasha. Perhaps later, when he’d feel more comfortable around them, he might tell that story; but in the meantime…

His thoughts wandered back to Remi Briggs. For a split second, the dark-haired teen brought up the memory of Taylor Shaw, his childhood friend and the victim of his father’s dirty hands. It had been years since her death, but the anger and guilt still lingered behind. And for that split second, he had thought _she_ had returned to life. The physical resemblance was there, though he could say it wasn’t exactly accurate. The psychology was obviously different; Taylor had always been a little bit shy growing up whereas Remi Briggs looked like she could quell a riot with a single glare. He briefly wondered if he should ask more to Patterson. Tasha and Edgar clearly didn’t like her and while the blonde seemed like she’d answer any question he’d ask, he didn’t know her well enough. If he was to explain why he wanted more information, then he’d have to share bits and parts of his past. And if he were to share bits and parts of his past to a gossiper, whispers of his situation would quickly spread around town and Sarah and his mother could suffer from their previous reputation again.

They had removed themselves to escape the judgmental stares of their community, not to go through another emotional mess elsewhere…

Kurt suddenly stopped in his tracks. A small noise had caught his attention; barely loud enough to be noticed, but still enough for him to hear. Someone was shouting in the afar; and it wasn’t a cheer.

Kurt immediately headed in the general direction he had heard the cry came from, in the outskirts of the school near the outdoor locker room, close to the baseball training grounds. He blamed his curiosity but also this feeling deep down, that something wasn’t _right_. The angry shouts came closer. Kurt hurried behind the building and froze on spot at the unfolding scene before him. Two boys were holding a redhead girl back against a wall while the third seemed to be taunting her. A fourth was kissing the ground, passed out with a bloody nose. Kurt didn’t think twice and charged.

“Hey assholes!” he shouted. “Why don’t you pick on someone your size?”

The three bullies still standing turned around. The girl took advantage of their distraction to literally slip out of their grip and darted away fast. The leader glared at Kurt. He was a thin rat-faced teenager with too much gel in his hair and too much anger in his eyes.

“Why, you jealous?” he spat and before Kurt could utter a word, his two cronies were on him.

Kurt had been involved in fistfights before. When he’d feel too angry and someone irritated or upset him, the punch would come and given his height and weight, would send his opponent flying. Here, the two others were as big and as strong as him. He found himself back to the wall in that girl’s place, steadily held down in a shamefully short time. Rat-face smiled.

“Is that what you wanted?”  he asked, purring creepily. “Take that little girl’s place? I recognize you, you’re the new kid. We’ll go easy on you, just this once.”

The first punch came unexpectedly and hit him hard in the stomach. Kurt skipped a breath (or two) and coughed heavily. Another fist hit his cheek. He tasted iron in his mouth; he must have bitten his tongue.

“You don’t look so self-assured anymore,” the leader said. He leaned forward, close enough for discomfort, but far enough not to be head-butted. His nose looked slightly dislodged, as if it had been broken already. Kurt wondered if the safe distance was a precaution earned from experience. “What about we-“

He never finished his sentence; his face was jerked back, his body suddenly flying and falling disgracefully on the ground. In his stead, with her hair flying wildly around her face like a dark halo, eyes burning in fury, Remi Briggs looked _mad_. The two goons immediately released Kurt in favor of running, leaving both unconscious acolyte and groaning leader behind. Remi turned around to deal with the latter. Before Kurt could speak, the girl he had ‘rescued’ was by his side.

“You okay?” she asked. “Sorry for taking off like that, but Remi was around the corner and Weitz is absolutely terrified of her.”

In the background, the guy Kurt assumed to be Weitz squirmed as Remi leaned forward and hissed something.

“’m fine,” Kurt replied then winced at the dull arch in his stomach. A loud squeal –very pained one –made him look up again. Weitz was curled into a ball, hands pressed between his legs. Remi returned to them after that, not even watching the bully crawl away.

“He shouldn’t bother you anymore,” she announced smugly, and that alone shattered any parallel he could have drawn between her and Taylor. “And if he does, I’ll go have another _chat_ with him.”

“Shouldn’t we tell a teacher?” Kurt inquired.

“Weitz is teach Carter’s nephew and he has enough influence to cover his misfits. You’re okay? Nurse Chris is still around if you need,” she eventually offered, eying him critically.

“Stomach will be a bit sore,” Kurt admitted. “But I’m fine.”

Inquisitive hazel eyes scanned for a lie. Finding none, she went on:

“Good. Is your day over? You’re heading home?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t have a car, do you?”

“No…not yet, I take the bus.”

The two girls exchanged a glance.

“Kat, do you mind driving him back?” Remi asked her.

“It’s not necessary-“ he started.

“I don’t mind,” the other girl interrupted. “I need to stop by the house and get some stuff anyway.”

“You still have another hour before the next bus,” Remi added for Kurt’s benefit. “I’d rather have you recovering at home then…well, waiting.”

Her tone was gentle but admitted no counter argument. Kurt mentally sighed; he could never measure up to a determined woman, especially one who had just saved his ass.

“Alright,” he conceded. Remi handed over a set of keys to the redhead then hurried back to the main building. Kat nodded towards the parking lot and he obligingly followed.

“Where do you live?” she asked once they reached a banal black car.

“On the outskirts of the city, Palmer Street. I'm not sure about the exact directions, we moved in two days ago.”

“It’s fine, I know the place,” she assured him. “The twins live in that area. It’s a nice neighborhood; a bit boring, but quiet.”

They both settled inside the car. As seat belts were fastened and rearview checked, Kurt inquired:

“Why does Remi has to stay?”

“She’s waiting for Roman,” Kat explained. “He’s with Borden –Doctor Borden, the school’s psychiatrist. She stays outside the room, in case something goes wrong.”

“What could go wrong?” he wondered out loud. His driver grimaced.

“Roman has extreme anger issues. Remi’s the only one who can calm him without getting a bloody nose, so she _always_ sticks around.” The engine started. Kat checked her surroundings before exiting her parking spot. “I'm not worried though; he hasn't broken anything on purpose in the past four months. It's progress.”

Kurt wisely didn't ask how was _that_ considered progress, and let himself be driven home with no further questions.

 

**ITWY**

 

The gap was large, but not large enough to scare him. Cade inhaled and exhaled, closed his eyes and when he felt ready, took off. Remi was already running a step ahead, Roman following her close like a shadow.

_Tap tap tap_

His steps created a soothing rhythm he lost himself into. The left foot touched the border of the rooftop and he jumped. For a precious few seconds, Cade lost himself in the sensation of flying as his speed propelled him into the air. No ground under his feet, no gravity to pull him down. The moment passed and he moved his body ready for reception. His arm, then shoulder, then back rolled on the roof of the other building, and he landed abruptly on his feet. Next to him, Remi used the speed to convert her jump into a flip and ended one knee down and an arm lifted for stability. From the corner of the eye, he watched Roman execute a few extra flips –most likely showing off for Kat, who had stayed by the car with Nas and Ana. Remi would likely chide him for that later; no need to take unnecessary risks. Then, he felt more than saw Markos hit the ground behind him and Danny nearly tripping upon landing.

Remi darted again, taking lead in the next step of their dangerous race. Once again, they all followed.

Today’s routine had them running all over the Playground; four abandoned warehouses surrounded by deserted parking lots. They had stumbled upon it one day during a small road trip. The buildings were old but solid and the place generally isolated, but more importantly, aside from the occasional hobo, it was left alone. When they had all decided to give Parkour a go, the place had been perfect for training and routines.

They had executed this exercise many times before, but Cade wasn’t naïve to believe habit made it without risk. Remi jumped over a rail and descended a half-demolished staircase. The next step was another jump from a rooftop to a much lower one. Cade distanced Remi from a few steps due to his long legs and leaped off the second roof ahead. Unfortunately he miscalculated the distance and nearly missed the border he was aiming for. Thankfully the emergency backup was still within reach and he managed to catch himself on a window frame, cursing under his breath. He didn't get overconfident often, but this time...

“Ground!” Remi barked immediately. Everyone interrupted their course and regrouped around her. Cade joined them reluctantly. He knew she had halted the exercise because of him. Given the paleness of his friends' faces, his misstep hadn't gone unnoticed.

“I’m fine,” he hissed between his teeth. “You didn’t need to-“

“Your hands,” she interrupted briskly.

Cade reluctantly showed her. His palms were slightly red from the miss, his fingers scratched raw from the attempt to catch himself. Markos gave his foster brother a look of sympathy. Danny winced. Roman's lips tightened into a thin line. Remi sighed.

“Nas has the first aid kit,” she said. “Anyone’s up for some more practice?”

“Nah I’m good to call it a day,” Danny said and Markos agreed. “I was thinking of stopping by Hobbs' café for a cookie. You're in?”

Remi shrugged.

“Sure, why not?”

The group slowly returned to the car. Remi hung behind, watching him insistently. Cade reluctantly fell in step with her.

“Parkour is a dangerous hobby and you chose me as your team leader,” she blurted. “I’m not putting your safety in jeopardy because of a scratch.”

She had this tendency to act like her were her responsibilities. He didn’t really mind her bossing them around most of the time, but he still didn’t appreciate being singled out.

“You shouldn’t have stopped everything on my behalf.” Remi’s expression was disapproving and the line between her eyebrows prominent. Something was on her mind. “I was handling it just fine and you know that. What’s going on?”

“It’s been a long day,” she replied with a light shrug, trying to wave him away. She looked tired, her skin was pale with deep circles under her eyes. He wondered, not for the first time, what made the usually badass girl sleep so poorly lately. Her protective streak had jumped higher the past couple of days and-

_Oh_.

“It’s just a scratch, Remi,” he assured her. “I was just being a bit overconfident, and I promise I’ll be more cautious next time. Anyway, the worse I could have had is a broken bone. I wouldn’t have died from that height.”

Her jaw tightened, followed by a flash of pain in her eyes. He had been right, she was thinking of Oscar.

“Fine, I’ll let you fall off the next time,” she said drawly, but with a hint of a smile.

“You do that,” he replied, glad he had managed to lift her spirits if only a little.

The group separated in the two cars –he took Markos, Danny and Nas while the twins got Ana and Kat. Once the car was shut, Markos announced brightly:

“There’s a surprise waiting at Hobbs for the twins.”

Cade stared at his foster brother in suspicion, and for good reason. Last time he had worn that face, they had been forced to spend a whole afternoon waitressing for free in pink uniforms in a gay club, all in the name of cheering Danny up after a nasty breakup.

“What have you done, Markos?” Nas asked warily.

“I’ll have you know I didn’t _do_ anything, but I just happened to know a certain someone would be arriving in our small town and thought that, hey, it’s the twins’ birthday, we might as well meet up and surprise them.”

“Is the certain someone the person you’ve been texting to all day long?” Cade asked.

“Yep. I’ll give you a hint; he’s from Sydney.” They all blinked, puzzled. “Oh come on, do you know many Aussies that Remi adores and Roman actually likes but wishes he didn’t?”

Cade snorted. Danny laughed. Nas’s sphinx-like smile returned and she shifted more comfortably on her seat, content to look outside now that her fears had been put to rest. Oliver Kind had been an exchange student from Australia two semesters back. He and newly-arrived Remi had been paired for a presentation on clean energy and, against all odds, they had hit off really well. Cade always thought the guy had a crush on her but never dared to make a move. She had Oscar back then, and Roman terrified him.

“It’ll do them good,” he declared eventually. Remi’s dark expression had him worried. Both twins had issues, but they all knew she hid it better. The girl needed to laugh a bit more and Oliver was the perfect distraction. Poor Roman needed a break from his sister’s mood swings.

“Prepare the camera,” Danny warned. “I wanna see the horror in Roman’s eyes when he realizes his sister’s favorite boyfriend has returned!”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**In this with you**

**3**

In spite of Markos’ warning they wouldn’t be arriving before past seven, Patterson had arrived early, as usual, if only to make sure their favorite table would be free. Her fears were put at rest when Hobbs –the owner of the café –winked at her arrival. Of course the man would suspect Remi’s jolly troop would show up after practice; he was a friend of the twins’ mother, he knew the date and his place was _the_ place for _all_ events. She settled then, pulled out her small laptop and started typing her latest essay.

Barely ten minutes later, the dark shade of a silhouette appeared on her screen. She turned around, thinking they had arrived early when-

“Evening Patterson.”

-her jaw dropped. Right behind her, dressed in his casual shirt and pair of black pants, stood none other than Oliver Kind.

“Holy cow,” she blurted before her brain could think of censuring her words. “I mean shit- Ollie; what on earth are you doing here?”

“I convinced my father I had some business in the area,” he leaned forward and whispered, grinning mischievously. “I may have omitted it didn’t concern studies.”

This situation has ‘Markos’ written all over. It had to be. Only that guy would somehow manage to bring Oliver from across the ocean for the twins’ birthday. Patterson jumped from her chair and gave the other teen a big, warm hug.

“It’s so, so nice to see you,” she said genuinely. “Does Remi know you’re here? She is so going to freak!”

“That’s the idea,” he replied, beaming widely. “And no, I’m the ‘surprise’.”

“A hell of a surprise if you ask me,” Patterson added. “Hell, _I_ am surprised. I can’t imagine…” she paused. “And Roman?”

Oliver’s smile dimmed slightly but remained firm.

“We have an understanding,” he replied diplomatically. “But I can’t wait to see him too. I just hope the feeling will be reciprocated.”

From the corner of the eye, Patterson spotted the twins’ and Cade’s car entering the parking lot. Sure enough, Danny had pulled out his phone and was not-too-discreetly thumbing the screen. Markos and Cade were exchanging a knowing stare and Nas remained unperturbed. Even at a distance, Patterson could tell Kat and Ana were on it too. Come to think of it, Ana must have made Oliver’s plane reservation –she had a knack for sniffing good deals. The twins were the only one left in the dark.

“Well, we’ll know soon enough,” she mumbled.             

‘Freak out’ was an euphemism to describe Remi’s reaction. The moment she saw him upon entering the café, she literally froze, and stared. And stared. And stared again, for a full minute. It wasn’t until Oliver waved a little ‘hi’ that she started moving. And boy, Patterson was so glad Danny had recorded that ridiculous, gigantic leap Remi made to reach the Australian. She literally slammed into him and embracing him with a huge, tight hug. In return, Oliver was grinning like a madman, spinning her around like a long lost boyfriend.

In comparison, Roman’s resigned grimace was priceless.

“Glad you could join us, Pat,” Markos said, quickly hugging Patterson in greeting. Ana was quick to follow him. Being fifteen like Patterson but not in the same classes, the two juniors tended to stick together.

“What do you think of the surprise?” she asked, preening at the result.

“Oh Remi likes it alright,” the blonde replied, watching the happy reunion with amusement. “But don’t you think you could have managed Roman a little? He looks sulky,” she pointed out. The trio turned around. The younger twin did look like he might brood for the rest of the evening. Markos shrugged in disregard.

“He claimed Oliver and he made peace before returning to Sydney, so the blame is on him if he has a problem with his presence.”

“You know Roman is extremely possessive where Remi is concerned,” Patterson chided. She returned to her previous seat while Markos took his position on her right, Ana right across them. The others settled in a happy bubbly chatter.

“He might deny it till his dying breath, but he actually likes good old Ollie,” Ana went on. “I’ve never met anyone who could hate him anyway.”

Patterson had to admit she was right. Oliver was the sweetest guy ever, which made his deep friendship with Remi even weirder. Then again, Remi had befriended her, too. Perhaps she was the weird one?

“We are so crashing Rich’s private party next Friday!” Remi claimed excitedly, cutting Patterson’s thoughts. “Anyone in?”

“Who wouldn’t want to go to his stealth marketing night?” Nas replied, annoyed and amused at the same time. She didn’t seem against the idea though, much to Patterson’s amusement again. Roman didn’t show the same enthusiasm but one glance at Kat’s interested face seemed to make up his mind. Cade, Markos and Danny were always willing to tag along. And Ana always jumped at the opportunity to sneak out with them.

“I can ask for some pins,” Patterson offered. “I’m seeing Boston tomorrow.”

“Are you two still in competition?” Oliver suddenly asked. It surprised Patterson he would remember that little detail. Another thing that made the guy so lovable.

“I’m leading by two victories,” she replied smugly.

“Our Pat is the best,” Remi smirked, and Patterson felt her cheeks flaming at the compliment. “I’ll text Rich later; he’ll give the pins to Boston.” She paused, thinking over something. “Would Weller go to one of those?”

“Why would you invite Weller to one of Rich Dotcom’s parties?” Roman asked, frowning. He had taken the right seat next to his sister, strategically placed to keep an eye on Oliver and the rest of the room in general. Patterson mouthed ‘possessive’ to Markos, which made him smirk.

“He gave Kat a hand earlier today,” Remi replied offhandedly. Roman shot a glance at Kat, who shrugged in return. “And he’s nice, I think.”

“You’ll have to give one to Tasha and Edgar too,” Patterson pointed out. “He won’t go alone there.”

The whole table fell silent and Patterson wondered whether she should have shut her mouth. No-one begrudged her for being friendly with the two, which she was truly grateful about, but she knew they were a sensitive subject. After a short beat, Remi shrugged.

“Whatever. As long as they stay out of my sight.” Then, she turned towards Oliver and demanded he tell her everything that occurred since their last email. Patterson sighed in relief at dodging that bullet. Markos gave her a tight smile. Ana began a conversation on the newest computer game on the market and soon, the tension was forgotten.

 

**ITWY**

 

Kurt’s stomach felt sore the next morning. His mother and sister had been too busy bickering to realize he had returned with a bruise on his jaw. For once, he had been grateful; he really didn’t need them to worry or get angry because he couldn’t keep his fists to himself. He did describe the whole thing to Allie, whose only answer had been to text him a directive: ‘ _Ask that chick out; I like her already’_.

“You look like shit man,” Edgar greeted, interrupting his string of thoughts. 

“Yeah well,” he started and winced, feeling the sore spot of the bruise on his jaw. “I crossed paths with a guy named Weitz after classes yesterday.”

The other teen looked concerned. Apparently Weitz had a reputation.

“Did he corner you when you were alone?”

“He was picking on some girl; I tried to step in but…” he winced slightly at the memory of being overpowered. “I’ve got help before things got too bad,” Edgar raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Remi Briggs shooed them away.”

“Briggs,” he muttered in distaste. “Why am I not surprised?”

Kurt observed his new friend attentively. While he had picked up his coolness towards Remi the previous day, he hadn’t realized the guy _really_ disliked her.

“What’s the deal with Briggs?” he wondered.

Edgar shrugged uncomfortably.

“She freaks me out a bit. She and her brother freak out half the school, to be honest. Teachers included.”

Kurt vaguely remembered the math’s teacher relieved expression on his first day.

“Why is that?” he wondered.

Edgar pinched his lower lip, considering what he should –or shouldn’t do, or say.

“When they first arrived here, they’d pick up fights with everyone. The former bully you didn’t want to mess with was some guy named Jake Keaton. He caused her trouble once and the twins went after him. He hasn’t left the hospital yet. Weitz’ still acting around because Carter the Spanish teacher has an in with the dean, but he stays clear of her. They are dangerous, Kurt. Do you know they became best buddies with the Lipinski brothers after a fistfight? Markos knocked a tooth out of her mouth for god’s sake! And she fractured his collarbone. Now they have each other’s back like nobody.”

Kurt nearly smiled; he and Allie had bounded over literature, but most of the friendships he had built the past two years had started into the merciless recess, when others had started calling him and his sister ‘the murderer’s kids’. Angry kids tended to stick together. And really, if Keaton had been after her, retaliation was natural, especially for someone as headstrong as he suspected Remi to be.

“So what? I haven’t seen them cause much trouble yet.”

Edgar sighed heavily.

“They’ve cooled their game lately, but that’s not the last of it.” He paused and added nervously: “Rumors are that they killed before. Her group of friends is made of wackos and she must have helped you out because there was a chance for her to hit something. They’re bad news Kurt, you should stay away from them.”

Kurt frowned unhappily.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he retorted icily. He didn’t understand why Edgar of all people would judge her –his best friend was a paria for having a brother in jail. And they were rumors. He wasn’t sure about Keaton the bully but the killing thing? True, Remi had a kind of aura and stance that screamed aggressive, but that didn’t mean she had blood on her hands. She had ensured he returned home afterwards; not many _adults_ in his previous school had actually cared whether he made it or not after a nasty fight.

His friend suddenly flinched and stiffened. Kurt turned around and caught the Briggs twins staring at them. Roman’s expression wore the usual impassive blankness but his sister’s was blazing fire. She took a few steps in their direction, completely ignoring Kurt. Edgar flinched when she stopped inside his comfort zone. Kurt didn’t try to interfere; he liked Edgar enough, but even he should take responsibility for his opinion. Although if Remi did turn violent, he promised himself he would step in.

“You call my friends wackos in my face again,” Remi spit angrily. “I will make your life _hell_ , Reade. Got it?”

Edgar nodded meekly, not daring to meet her eyes. She turned around and departed, fuming. Her brother shot them a cold glare and took off after her.

“Thanks for the support man,” Edgar said reproachfully at Kurt. He shrugged.

“I never said I agreed with you. And honestly? You were asking for it,” he pointed out. “I wouldn’t have let her hit you though.”

“Gee thanks,” Edgar muttered, not quite convinced, but followed to their next class without a word.

 

**ITWY**

 

“Good morning Tasha. How are you today?”

Tasha didn’t mind Robert Borden much. He was a calm, easygoing kind of man always wearing that neutral smile. Unlike other psychiatrists she had met before, this one had some serious field work behind him. He had been part of Doctors Without Borders a few years back and had brought souvenirs in his consulting room to prove it. Atypical African art, Muslim items and decorations, photos of him, his fiancée and the people they have met. The man himself was sitting on a brown couch, his trusted pad and pen in his hands. Tasha abandoned her contemplation of the walls and focused on him. She knew by experience he would wait for her to open their session and she didn’t deal with silence very well.

“I feel stuck underwater, like I can’t breathe,” she blurted, and left it there. Doctor Borden nodded encouragingly, his pen immobile. She gathered her thoughts and went on calmly: “I woke up this morning and mother was there. And I wanted to ask her, ‘the hell you’re doing here?’ I hadn’t seen her in…weeks. Maybe months. She didn’t even know Josh had been transferred.” Her eyes lingered on a wooden sculpture on his desk. “I wanted to hit her when she asked.”

“You miss your brother,” Borden cut short. Tasha grimaced.

“Is it wrong of me? I know he did terrible things but…”

“He is still your family and you love him,” the man agreed with sympathy. “It’s not wrong, it’s normal to feel this way.” No answer. “Do the others still bother you?”

“No,” Tasha replied honestly. If anything, the bullying phase had mostly occurred outside of school. Given teenager mentality, the little number of students picking on her had surprised her. And it hadn’t lasted over a week. In comparison, Patterson had had a lifetime suffering of snarky remarks because of her smartness and young age until she started frequenting Remi. The only advantage of being that girl’s friend was that no-one dared to touch you in fear of retaliation.

“But aside from Mister Reade and Miss Patterson, you don’t have many friends.”

“I’m fine that way,” she replied immediately, even though it was a half-lie. Now that she knew where her true friends stood, she was reluctant to renew bounds with others. On the other hand, she kinda missed being surrounded by a crowd…and of course, Borden, being the creepy mind-reader he was, jumped on her thought.

“Why don’t you join a club?” he suggested. “We discussed hobbies before. They could help you integrate yourself better.” Tasha wanted to point out that integration with ‘sister of a murderer’ painted in her back was an impossible feast. Borden changed tactics: “I believe you get along rather well with Mister Weller.”

“He hangs around Edgar because he’s new,” she retorted; and it was partially true.

“Did you tell him about your current situation?”

That was putting it mildly; she had blurted it at lunch of all places in a fit of annoyance.

“He knows Josh is serving time,” she replied instead.

“And how did he react?”

‘ _He didn’t react_ ’ was what Tasha wanted to say at first. But afterthought, she believed he had a brief hesitation before claiming her situation didn’t bother him. Had he brushed aside any prejudice and decided to give her a chance? Or did he truly didn’t care?

“I don’t know. We didn’t bring the subject up again.”

More accurately, she had desperately been hiding from him. Edgar enjoyed his company and Tasha didn’t want to take away another friend from him. Staying away from Kurt had sounded like a good way to prevent that situation from happening.

“He hasn’t rejected you,” Borden continued with his thoughts. “I believe you could find other peers who will set aside their judgment and try to get to know you. You need to make the first move, and I am persuaded they won’t disappoint you.” That guy had far too much faith in human nature, Tasha thought sarcastically. “Hence why I suggest you joining a club. I think a sport would be good.”

Tasha frowned.

“I’m not sure I’m good at any kind of sports.”

Borden had a small, amused smile.

“And yet, I believe I know exactly what would fit you.”

 

**ITWY**

 

“So you’re trying boxing tomorrow?” Edgar asked in disbelief.

They were back around the table during a free hour, all three having no class at that time. Kurt was glad to see that Tasha had readily responded to Edgar’s invitation to join them. He didn’t want her to think she made him uncomfortable because of her situation.

“He said it would be good practice,” Tasha replied with a shrug. “And who knows, it might be a good id-“

She was interrupted by the enthusiastic arrival of Patterson.

“Guys, guys, guys, you will never guess what!”

The three stared the blonde.

“What?” Tasha asked when it became clear the she was demanding a reaction. Patterson pulled out pins from her pocket and laid them on the table. Edgar and Tasha’s reaction was immediate. They grabbed the round-shaped piece of metal and admired them like a lost treasure.

“What’s that?” Kurt wondered out loud as he picked his own and checked it. It was a very simple basic pins, black with a tribal engraving at the surface.

“That, my good friend,” Patterson said, preening, “is a free pass to Rich Dotcom’s mansion for the Friday Night Party.”

“How on earth did you get your hands on those? _Four_ of them,” Tasha demanded, eyes bright like Christmas had come early.

“Well, Crab Boston, Rich’s boyfriend, is rumored to be unbeatable at board games. Rich was tired of losing against him, so when Remi hinted that I was an expert, he spit out a few pins with the promise I would crush Boston.”

Kurt’s attention perked involuntarily when the girl’s name was mentioned. He hadn’t seen her or any of her friends around after this morning’s altercation with Edgar; and he had kind of wanted to thank her again for her help the previous day.

“So you were invited for a _board_ _game_?” Edgar muttered in disbelief.

“Yups,” Patterson confirmed.

“One moment, Briggs gave you the pins?” Tasha interrupted. She put the pins back on the table. “Sorry, I’m not going.”

Edgar did not share her reluctance.

“I wonder if they’ll light fireworks. The last guy who was invited bragged Rich had hired a DJ for the night. C’mon Tasha, it’ll be fun.”

“I don’t want anything from Briggs,” she protested hotly.

“Briggs didn’t give us the pins, Patterson did,” Edgar countered. He pocketed his pins and smiled at Kurt. “I hope you’ll go too. They say Rich Dotcom’s parties are the best.”

“And who exactly is Rich Dotcom?” Kurt asked, annoyed. 

“Rich Dotcom is a guy who made a fortune in well-placed investments years ago. Once he had earned enough to support himself and half a dozen generations down, he dropped out of college and became the reference for party goers,” Patterson explained. “His real name is Gord Enver, though no one calls him that anymore. Being invited is for formal people a _social_ _coup_.”

“Right,” Kurt grunted. “So Remi is a friend of his?”

Patterson shrugged.

“I think it’s more complicated than that. I don’t know how their relationship started but at some point it involves Rich hitting on Remi or Roman –or maybe both –a bloody nose and a black cat. I was drunk when Remi told the story, so I don’t remember the details.”

“I’ve never seen you drunk.” Edgar suddenly said. “I didn’t think you even liked alcohol.”

“I tried once. Apparently, I’m a depressive drunk,” Patterson replied casually. “And the morning-after hangover was not worth it. So, will you come?”

“Hell yeah,” he agreed readily.

“Fine,” Tasha grumbled, picking up her pins again. Kurt bit back a smirk: Rich Dotcom’s parties must be great for her to conveniently forget who got them the free pass to begin with.

“What about you Kurt?”

He watched the pins glinting in the sunlight. He’d have to ask his mother, but he was pretty sure she wouldn’t refuse him an outing with his brand new friends.

“Yeah sure, I’ll go.”

And maybe he’d get to come across Remi again.

**ITWY**

 

The party turned out to be more or less what Kurt had expected. The huge modern house had impressed him at first, as did the flock of guards literally shoving aside those who hadn’t been invited. The inside was a huge nightclub with dancing platforms, a bar, tables and waiters. None less than forty kids were moving on the restless beat of the music. Edgar and Tasha disappeared almost immediately into the dancing crowd, abandoning Kurt to Patterson.

Kurt felt a little left aside but grabbed a first beer lying on a platter to drown his sorrows. No-one asked his age, no-one controlled his drinking. Now he understood why those parties were popular. Patterson, unsurprisingly, declined alcohol and settled for some juice. Then, she proceeded to show him around. A corridor led him to another room filled this time with gamers. Huge screens and computers and headphones were set side by side, nerds grouped around game consoles and played dozen various types of games, very few Kurt recognized.

“This house is just a huge cover for stealth marketing,” Patterson explained once they reached a calmer part of the mansion. “You can play games that haven’t been released in the market for free. Depending on how many people play, producers might or not launch the thing.”

“Really?” Kurt asked, surprised.

Patterson nodded enthusiastically.

“Sure. Tonight’s board game is a classic, but the new stuff is over there if you want to try it,” she added, pointing at a bright blue door. “If you came for the music, better stay here,” she waved back towards the main room.

“You know the place really well,” he remarked. “This isn’t your first time here.”

Patterson shrugged.

“I’m good at evaluating the worth of a new board game. I actually have a special pass,” she added with a small smile. “I _did_ get an in after Remi spoke to Rich, but that was months ago. I didn’t tell the others because…well, they wouldn’t understand. Tasha’s a great girl but Remi is really something else. I wish I knew what happened between them. Remi told the guys but won’t tell me,” she added sadly. “I don’t know if it’s because I don’t really belong or if they don’t think me trustworthy.”

Kurt wanted to protest, tell her that so far, he thought she was a very kind person who deserved a lot more than just hanging around with few people. But before he could talk, a lanky young man suddenly appeared from a side door and nearly aggressively grabbed Patterson’s shoulder.

“You,” he said grumpily, “I challenge you to a duel.”

Much to Kurt’ surprise, the blonde merely narrowed her eyes and hissed:

“You’re on, Boston.”

“The boardroom. Now,” ‘Boston’ added.

“Lead the way. Wanna come Kurt?”

“Nah,” he declined, board games weren’t his strongest point, and he wanted to investigate if Remi was actually amongst the crowd. Not to mention, he had a feeling he wasn’t ready to see a competitive Patterson in her element yet. “Maybe later.”

“Third red door on your left if you ever change your mind,” Patterson instructed while being mercilessly dragged away by the newcomer. And just like that, he was left alone again. He sighed and decided to hang around the bar and sat next to a girl typing furiously on her keyboard with huge headphones over her ears. From the letters on her screen, she wasn’t playing your typical game –if she was playing a game at all. Kurt decided he didn’t want to know. A new waiter brought him another drink –some weird cocktail with oranges and pineapples and rum–and he sipped there for a while. He didn’t know many people and since he wasn’t sure how to strike a conversation, he would wait to get used to the atmosphere and try to find Edgar and Tasha in the crowd…

“So, are you enjoying yourself?”

Kurt nearly dropped his glass, startled by the new voice addressing to him. When he turned around, he ended face-to-face with Remi. She had tied her hair back in a high ponytail and was dressed with an elegant white sleeveless top and a tight black pair of jeans. Her black high-heels made her legs look longer. She was smiling. His heart skipped a beat and he felt his cheeks turn red.

“Uh-hi,” he babbled. “And –eh- yeah, it’s fine. Thank you for the invitations.”

Her smile reduced him to basic speech and punched him in the guts. Perhaps he shouldn’t have taken that beer.

“Good. Kat is hanging out somewhere in there,” she waved towards the crowd of dancing teenagers. “She’ll probably stop by and thank you later. It was brave of you to intervene the way you did,” she added more seriously. “Not many dare go up against Weitz.”

If possible, Kurt thought his whole face had flushed red.

“It’s nothing,” he mumbled, trying to stay humble. If Allie saw him, the boaster, fumbling with words, he’d never live this down. “I just…I don’t like bullies, and I have a sister. I’d hate to see her in this position and no-one interfered.”

Remi nodded gravely. He became fascinated by the movement of her hair, brushing her bare shoulders. Taylor always let her hair down to hide her face and the rare times she had tied them, she’d let them swing as gracefully as Remi’s. Damn, now was not the time to remember…

“I understand,” the other girl said, interrupting his thoughts. “Well, thank you again. I’ll let you enjoy the rest of the evening.”

Suddenly, he didn’t want to see her go; so he blurted the first thing that came to his mind.

“Do you want to dance?”

The music suddenly shifted into a slow song. Couples started forming on the floor and waltz clumsily or in good fun. Remi raised an eyebrow.

“You planned this?” she asked, deadpan, though he could swear she was laughing at him in the inside.

“Maybe later then,” he muttered. He was suddenly grateful of the semi darkness of the room; his cheeks were probably burning in mortification by now. This time she did laugh and patted his forearm in mock comfort.

“Maybe later,” she agreed, still grinning. She moved past him and pocked the girl sitting behind her computer. Said girl turned around and, once she saw Remi –who pointed at her wrist to her watch –she immediately turned her laptop down and darted away in a hurry. Then, Remi returned her attention on Kurt and smiled one last time. “I’ll see you around.”

 

**ITWY**

 

If looks could burn, Kurt Weller would be a pile of ashes, Nas thought with amusement. Remi had left to warn Ana that the hacking competition she had specially came for was about to start in the other room, but had been caught up with someone else. Nas watched as Roman literally glowered at the new guy chatting with Remi. From the snort coming from Markos’ side, he thought the scene hilarious too.

“Chill man, he’s not asking her out yet,” Cade said, hiding his smirk behind his beer.

“Not yet and not _ever_ ,” was Roman’s deadly cold answer. Nas, Marcos and Cade snickered.

“I don’t know whether I should find this cute or mortifying,” Oliver remarked. “Is Remi even allowed to flirt without permission?”

“No,” Roman growled protectively. This time, even Oliver had to hide his smile. The subject of their conversation waved her potential future suitor away before returning to them.

“What did I miss?” she asked. When Roman grumbled ‘nothing’ under his breath, the whole group broke into fits of laughers. Remi rolled her eyes and took her seat besides her brother. “I asked Ana to hack his profile from the school’s files. He’s from Clearfield, Pennsylvania,” she announced. “Has a sister, parents divorced, they stayed with mom. My take: the father did some nasty stuff and that’s why they moved so far away.”

“And let me introduce you Kurt Weller, Remi Briggs’s new chew toy.” Nas proclaimed with a mocking bow. “Not every newcomer is here to trigger your curiosity.”

Remi shrugged indifferently.

“There’s something off about him. He’s angry, but he’s hiding it well. And yeah, I’m talking about the dark kind of anger.” The stereo blasted ‘ _Pretty Little Psycho’_ in the afar. Remi peeked up. “Oh I love that one. Ollie?” Oliver obligingly put down his glass and followed her on the dance floor. Roman resumed his glaring as they melted into the crowd. Nas took pity on him.

“Why don’t we join them?” she suggested and glanced at Cade. The teenager looked back, smirked, and bowed to offer his arm. She took it and allowed him to guide her downstairs. Roman flushed when Markos imitated his foster brother and extended the same arm to him. Nas truly pitied Kat. Roman wasn’t completely oblivious to her but his social skills were seriously lacking. If she wanted to get anything from him, she needed to make the first move –and a very engaging one. Speaking of which…

She reported her attention back to her partner. Cade had everything she appreciated in a man; attitude, charisma, a decent brain and a cool-leveled head. It didn’t hurt that he looked damn handsome in that shirt and tight jeans. She also knew he looked at her sometimes. They got along well enough, she liked him and she knew he would have her father’s approval; why not give it a try? All she had to do was to hint he should ask first –no matter what, she was still an old-fashion kind of girl. Perhaps she could give him some subtle sign tonight?

They reached the dance floor and started to move in rhythm to the music. Remi and Oliver were having the time of their lives while Roman had caught a blonde girl on the side, and Markos and Danny were goofing around, as usual. Cade, for once, stuck by her side. He suddenly –and quite boldly –wrapped an arm around her shoulder and made her spin. Nas found herself face-to-face with him and froze. His face was very, very close. So close she could actually count his eyelashes. And then his lips were on hers and they were kissing and –damn, it was better than she thought. When they parted, over Cade’s shoulder, she spotted the boys grinning wickedly and Remi giving her a ‘thumbs up’. So much for old-fashioning, she thought before giving another kiss to her new boyfriend.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The version of the song I was thinking of is actually the nightcore remix of 'Pretty Little Psycho'. Just fell in love with it listening to it (is it weird it made me think of Roman and Remi?)  
> Till next chapter :)


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